BROOKLYN, Mich. — Vowing to “shake up the sport,” Ram will return to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2026 and seek to pave the way for another brand within the Stellantis company to field cars in the Cup Series someday.
This marks the return of the Ram in NASCAR since the manufacturer left the Truck Series after the 2012 season. Ford, Chevrolet, Toyota and Ram will compete in the Truck Series next year.
Tim Kuniskis, CEO of Ram, said that his company plans to impact the sport in a way that creates a larger fan base and more avid fans through its product and at-track experience.
“Our objective is to take the 20 million (avid fans of NASCAR) and turn it into 80 or 100 million,” he said. “We have a plan. We know how we’re going to do it. We think we have a path to get to that. We think people are going to like the way we’re doing it because it’s going to be fun. Not ready to share all the details with you yet, but I told you that the experiential piece was going to be just a little bit of how we’re doing it. It’s going to get crazier from there.”
Christopher Bell and his new spotter will be tested in today’s race, particularly on restarts.
That included a Ram demonstration shortly before the start of Sunday’s Cup race on the frontstretch at Michigan International Speedway.
Fans watching on Prime saw a high-energy Ram commercial touting its return to NASCAR next year just before the start of the Cup race.
“We’re setting the tone right there on how we’re coming back to NASCAR and it’s going to build from that moment all the way to Daytona (in 2026),” Kuniskis said.
Kuniskis anticipates having four to six trucks at Daytona next February. He did not reveal any teams or drivers. Ram is expected to have the Ram body finalized and approved by mid-August after a wind tunnel test.
John Probst, NASCAR senior vice president and chief racing development officer, called Ram’s entry into the Truck Series a “big moment” for NASCAR. This marks the first time a manufacturer has joined the Truck Series since Toyota did with the 2004 season.
“When we work with our (manufacturers), they have made it loud and clear that they would welcome a new (manufacturer) into our sport with open arms,” Probst said. “They’ve been very helpful in that process with Ram and some of the other manufacturers we talk to.”
Three year ago frustrations were high with the pit crews at 23XI Racing but a novel hire helped build those units to be among the sport’s best.
But what about Cup? Ram is a Truck brand.
“We have cars in our company,” Kuniskis said, alluding to the Stellantis, which features 14 iconic automotive brands, including Dodge and Chrysler.
“We’re excited that they have interest in the Cup Series,” Probst said of Stellantis.
The process for any new Cup manufacturer features an 18-month submission process for its vehicle, engine and other parts, meaning the earliest a new manufacturer could join Cup would be 2027.
Probst also hinted at additional interest from manufacturers in the Cup Series.
“I don’t want to jinx ourselves, but I would say we are very close with one other (manufacturer),” Probst said. “Can’t speak for them. Obviously, it’s their decision to make. We would love for them to decide to come into NASCAR.
“Even with that, there’s one or two others that we’re a little bit earlier in the discussions but also looking pretty positive, but we all know that a (manufacturer) deciding to come into NASCAR, it’s a big commitment for them. It’s not something that they take lightly. It requires a lot of research and approval at the highest levels. We’re confident right now. We like the position we’re in and think that we’re a pretty good investment for a (manufacturer).”
Read the full article here